Labour MPs opposed to the air strikes against Afghanistan have arranged a House of Commons vote on the campaign later today.

The MPs are frustrated that the House of Commons has yet to be given the opportunity formally to record its attitude to the military campaign, as to date none of the debates on the action has ended in a vote.

They will force a vote on a technical motion at the end of today's adjournment debate on the coalition against international terrorism, which is due to conclude at 7pm.

Father of the House Tam Dalyell, Labour MP for Linlithgow, will move a motion that the House should not adjourn, and expects that to be followed by a vote.

Mr Dalyell and his supporters hope that the symbolic gesture will put pressure on the Government to allow a proper vote on the military campaign.

Mr Dalyell said: "The message we want to send out is simple - stop the bombing. Don't embark on a military campaign at the beginning of the Afghan winter, and recognise that bombing pleases one person above all others, and that is Osama bin Laden.

"There is mayhem in Pakistan, and real trouble in Saudi Arabia. There is mayhem from Indonesia to Algeria, which is what they all want."

Mr Dalyell, who declined to speculate about how many MPs would back his move, said he had told the whips of his intentions, adding: "There is no element of surprise or ambush about this."

But Alan Simpson, the Nottingham South MP who chairs the Labour Against the War group, said he would have preferred sympathetic MPs to have been given more notice of the move.

"If we do it as a surprise vote, that prevents those within the party outside Parliament from exercising their democratic right to make their views known to their MPs," said Mr Simpson.

"Also, some MPs have already gone to their constituencies on the assumption that there wouldn't be a vote. It's important that people are here and have their vote recorded."